Gothel's Obsession
by pandaman75
Summary: Call it fate, for Gothel's gift from the Sun was stolen by the King of Corona... and she will do anything to reclaim her obsession. Began as a one-shot, now it will be an original, full fledged exploration of Gothels story.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: this is my first attempt at a fanfic. Ive always wanted to write but i never got hold of an idea enough for it to materialize while im busy during college. It is a short one shot right now unless i want to extend it into a bigger story

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Tangled, i just enjoy manipulating/expanding the story :)

Gazing into the night sky, she yearned for the fullness of youth that had all too quickly aged away. Her hands which had turned decrepit and wrinkled were a reminder of why she stood alone on the beach. A hooded cloak concealed her figure within the darkness from possible onlookers, as well as herself. The cold that bit through to her depleted core nearly caused her to double over. The image of her sunken, skeletal face on the water was enough to cause bile to brew in the back of her throat.

The few days without rejuvinance had dwindled her mind into near-insanity. She cursed the kingdom, cursed the sun, and cursed the newborn princess during her rapid deterioration into her current form. Every morning, a new scatter of wrinkles appeared on her deflating face. Black and wavy hair had quickly turned frizzy and grey. Even her voice had lost the lustful chirp that had once existed. She was getting closer and closer to death as the hours ticked by.

Surveying the area, Gothel looked up to the castle with hatred in her eyes. They had stolen her gift from the sun itself! The sun had brought her the fountain of youth that had once only existed in fables. Who was a the King to challenge the mighty Suns intentions? A glorified boy! Among the boys and girls of Corona who have less meaning to be alive than the meat they eat! Gothel scoffed at this thought, and set out to reclaim what wad rightfully her

As she attempted to pull herself up the rocks separating her and the castle, pain shot up her arms. Her bones had turned brittle and her muscles had diminished to nothing as her true age nearly caught up with her. Each movement threatened to tear each tendon from the bone. Yet, the promise of returning to her stolen fountain of youth fed her obsession past the point of caring.

Gothel needed to be young again. She must reclaim her fountain of youth!

She managed to reach the top, her muscles feeling as though they were punctured with endless needles. In one heartful pull, she threw herself over the balcony siding. Barely managing to avoid falling, she knelt on the stone floor and gasped for air as quietly as she could. She attempted to rest enough for her aged body to recover from the climb, but the threat of being caught forced her to move sooner.

She looked up and felt the anticipation overwhelm her. Just past these doors slept her gift! Yet, she could not push away the thoughts that were stuck repeating in her head.

What if i am caught?

What if the baby wakes up?

What if the magic is gone?

Snapping back to the situation she pushed away the thoughts. With a trembling hand, she grasped the knob and eased it open just enough to fit her thin frame through, afraid of startling the body that held her flowers power.

Only the moonlight saved the room from sitting in complete darkness. Or so she thought until she crept closer to the cradle. The only movement within the room aside from her came from underneath the sheets. The dark, which shielded her from the eyes of those who would interfere with her risky mission, was defeated by the occupants distinct feature. The sight before her made her heart race, relieving any uncertainty of the magics complete demise.

Striking blonde hair had stolen her gaze. No, striking couldnt even describe the hair with justice. She had come across thousands of people during her life, none with even close to owning such hair. It seemed to parallel only the suns intensity. Such flowing locks could only be fairly described in one word that she could think of, golden.

Lowering her hand, Gothel lightly petted the babys beautiful locks. She savored how smooth it was, liken to silk. A shudder nearly came over her, as she could already imagine the magic purging her veins once again. Grasping a small lock of hair, Gothel began to sing.

Flower gleam and glow...

The first verse awakened the embedded magic within the babies hair. Her fingers felt the familiar surge of magic beginning to run its course. It flooded her veins, sending relief through her limbs from the ache that age brought.

Let your power shine...

The crackle in her voice diminished, replaced by a youthful voice enriching the harmony of the song. Gothel raised her scissors to the lock, eager to own again what was stolen from her.

Save what has been lost...

Gothel snaps the scissors shut, severing the lock of hair from its host.

The surge through her veins stopped abruptly, causing her to gasp in shock. The needle-like pain returned as her body reverted back to its aged form. The once golden lock turned brown, appearing lifeless and limp to Gothel.

Dropping the scissors, the realization of the situation dawned on Gothel. Had she turned senile? The mere thought of doing what she was about to do would send the entire kingdom into a riot, calling for her head on a spear. She had practically no chance at getting away with this. Yet her obsession, once fueled by the sun-flower, had only one way of being nurtured.

Her prize slept, too caught up in a dream to distinguish between a mothers hold and one of a thief.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: I have decided to expand this one-shot into a full-fledged story exploring Mother Gothels' stealing/raising of Rapunzel. It will not be entirely about Gothel, once i get to the parts necessary, but I want to delve into the missing backstory from the movie.

(Not to say the movie was badly written, I personally love it to death and put it up there with Beauty and the Beast)

Ill figure out a routine soon for new chapters, but I want to ensure i don't push one out half-heartedly just to meet a deadline.

Please read and review!

I hope you all enjoy!

Run.

That was all Gothel could think of right now. Run. Run for your life. Run for your youth. Run for the prize in your arms.

Run to be alive again.

Gothel held her prize tightly to her bosom, fearing that in her decrepit state that she could lose her grasp. Her knees nearly buckled with every step. Her left lung felt as though it were punctured with a dagger, causing her to wheeze uncontrollably. She couldn't afford to focus on that, because any second now every guard under the kingdom would begin to turn the town upside down to reclaim what she took. She told herself it would all be worth it once she escaped Corona.

She kept the golden hair tucked away inside of the blanket. If someone saw such distinct hair, she would surely be snatched away. She could not let that happen.

All of a sudden, Gothel fell forward onto the hard street. She barely managed to rotate, letting her back take the full force of the fall. An audible crack was coupled with intense pain in her side. Now her lung was definitely punctured. She managed to slowly crawl from the stone road into the nearby alley. Propping her back against the wall, she opened the blanket. Gothel's fingers intertwined with a small tuft of golden hair within her bundle. Through wheezing breath, Gothel started to sing.

_Flower... gleam and glow..._

_Let your power..._

Gothel coughed, her face displaying the agony she was in. A metallic flavor of blood filled her mouth.

_Shine... Make the clock... reverse..._

Blood began to drip out of a thin smile that formed as Gothel began to feel the magic pulse through her once again.

_Bring back what once was mine..._

Her eyes closed, savoring the turning back of time.

_What once was mine..._

The glow of the small tuft of hair faded, leaving her and her prize in complete darkness.

"Is somebody there?"

Every single muscle in her body stiffened at the voice. She forced herself as close to the neighboring wall as possible, thankful for the shroud of darkness keeping her out of sight.

A lantern appeared from around the corner, illuminating the entire alleyway to her unwelcome guest.

_Well so much for that._

"Oh my... miss are you alright? It's the middle of the night," the man said with a quizzical look on his face.

Unlike her usual convincing self, Gothel stammered out her answer. Then again, she had never been in such a precarious situation before.

"Sir... I'm sorry if i woke you," Gothel began unconvincingly," but i really must get going..."

"Where?"

"I don't... Why do you need to know it is of no concern to you!"

"Lord! Miss i am just trying to...," the man spoke until he was cut off by a small gurgling noise, produced from the bundle Gothel held close.

_Oh great now you've done it_. She couldn't keep on going with this man. She was losing precious time with this nuisance. Precious time that could be the difference between her head on her shoulders and on a spear.

"Is that a... child? A child! Please miss! Take sanctuary in my home… please!". The man gestured down the road, not realizing that she could hardly see the other side of the alley in this darkness. "A night like this could be deadly for a youth!"

"I don't have time for this... go away! Let me be!" Gothel protested. She stood, cradled her flower in her arms and attempted to veer around the man.

"Miss! Think of the baby! It could die from this cold!" The man cried back.

"Move!"

Suddenly, a disturbance in the night drew their attentions to the far side of the island. Light after light appeared, illuminating the darkened castle. The uproar of hundreds of shouting voices filled the still air. Soon, the clanking of armored guards began to rouse the sleeping city. The light seemed to extend outward as more and more citizens joined in. Through the thunderous noise, one particular phrase could be heard over and over again.

Find the princess!

Panic began to fill Gothel's eyes, her body frozen from fear. The blanket which cradled her flower fell open, revealing the unmistakable feature of the city's most beheld child. Golden hair.

"You... the lost princess!" He lunged after her as he realized the identity of the baby Gothel held.

"You vile woman! How dare you..." his shouts were replaced by a bloody gargle, as a knife punctured his neck. His hands rose in an attempt to stop the profuse bleeding, but he did not live long enough to feel his impact with the stone cold street.

Gothel ran away from the limp body without a hint of remorse. Her new, replenished body was able to carry her further away from the oncoming mob much quicker than before. The pain from her old bones vanished, replaced by a new euphoric energy. She was in a race with the illuminating city, inching closer and closer to the outer bridge.

In her frantic rush, the bundle she carried unraveled enough to reveal a head. A head with locks so golden that they could be spotted even in the darkest night. Its eyelids slowly opened, clearly from the discomfort of the frigid air. Startling green eyes stared Gothel, containing both confusion and agitation. The eyes turned glossy and its face scrunched slowly, filling Gothel with more anxiety of being caught.

Even if she reached the bridge, Gothel knew she would surely be caught if she continued on foot. Yet she never stopped, becoming more afraid as the mob grew in both size and aggressiveness. The lights were less than a quarter of a mile behind her now. At this rate she would be seen before she could reach the outer wall. Also, now the approaching cry from her bundle could alert her to the mob. The minute chance for keeping her precious flower was all Gothel could bear to think about. She could not afford to be overcome with terror.

She needed a miracle.

A loud crash seemed to split the kingdom in two, as the sky burst with an unbearable flash of light. Rolling thunder filled the night until the next crash overwhelmed Gothel's ears. Now, not even she could hear the ear piercing wail over the penetrating noise. Droplets of water rained from the heavens in sheets, soaking her to the bone and sending her into a fit of shivers. Gothel was afraid she had failed, as it seemed even Mother Nature intended to stop her escape.

As Gothel glanced back at the oncoming mob, she knew could not have been more wrong.

The same storm which forced her to flirt with hypothermia had now obstructed the mobs manhunt for her. One by one, each speck of growing illumination was smothered by the rain. Now, Corona seemed to slowly fade away to the castle, until the only remaining light illuminated the memory that haunted the Kingdom for the next eighteen years.

A King and Queen stood over an empty cradle, broken from their stolen love.

Gothel determined fate was on her side as she ran deep into the forest, reunited once more with her precious flower.


End file.
